Tissue processors are used for automatic processing of histological samples for subsequent section preparation with a microtome, followed by microscopic examination. The tissue of the sample must firstly, in multiple stages, be dewatered, purified, hardened, and then stabilized with paraffin. This is accomplished with various reagents to which the sample is exposed.
A tissue processor that permits large automatic processing of the samples is depicted and described in the Leica document “Leica ASP 300,” Leica Microsystems Nussloch GmbH, order no. 0704-2-1-103, April 2001.
The tissue processor comprises a retort as a processing station for the samples. The retort is connected via a tubing or piping system to multiple standardized reagent reservoir vessels for the different reagents. By way of a pump system and an electronic control system, the respective reagents can be automatically pumped from the reservoir vessels into the retort and back.
The reagent reservoir vessels arranged in the tissue processor must from time to time be emptied and replaced with unused reagents. The tissue processor comprises for that purpose a connector for an external tubing system through which each individual reagent reservoir vessel can be emptied and refilled. This procedure of course requires a plurality of external vessels that must be stored separately in the laboratory. There also exists a risk of confusion in the context of vessels having fresh and used reagents.
Simple and direct exchange of the reagent reservoir vessels is also thwarted by the different dimensions of the external refill reagent vessels.